# White label vs your own platform: the four ways to launch.

> Capital-backed white label, turnkey licence, your own stack or partnering with a firm: published costs, who pays traders, control and exit for each.

- Source: https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/white-label-vs-own-platform
- Publisher: PipValley - web design studio for prop trading firms
- Updated: 2026-10-12

**Short answer:** There are four ways to launch a prop firm in 2026: a capital-backed white label (the provider pays traders; PropSuite $2,749 setup, PropAccount from $3,000), a licensed white label or turnkey stack (you pay traders; Match-Trader turnkey $4,000 a month), your own stack (Quadcode compares "from $150k" and six months), or partnering with an existing firm. Choose by who carries payout risk, then by control and exit.

## At a glance

- **Capital-backed white label:** PropSuite: $2,749 setup, $0 monthly, founder share 50–70% of net; PropAccount: from $3,000 setup, 30% of gross or 50% of net. [1][6][7][8]
- **Licensed turnkey:** Match-Trader: white label $2,500/month, turnkey platform and CRM $4,000/month, server $5,000/month. [10]
- **Per-account licence:** TradeLocker Starter: $3,000 a month for up to 500 active accounts; "No setup fees". [17]
- **Build vs buy:** Quadcode: white label "from $17.5k" and "from 2 weeks"; from scratch "from $150k" and "from 6 months". [14]
- **Managed partner launch:** Match-Prop (Sep 2026): influencers, educators and IBs launch a branded prop business "within seven days", then can move to full white label or server. [11]
- **Platform dependency:** SurgeTrader closed about a week after Match-Trader terminated its licence in May 2024. [29]
- **Third-party exit:** ProjectX ended third-party service on 28 Feb 2026; firms using it had to migrate. [30]
- **What firms run on:** Match-Trader showed on 94 of 529 analysable firm sites, TradeLocker 54, PropAccount 28 (PipValley Index, 12 Oct 2026). [38]

"White label or in-house" is usually framed as a technology question. It is really a risk question. The first thing to decide is who pays traders who pass; the second is how much of the rules, data and brand you control; the third is how you leave if the relationship ends. Platform features come fourth.

This page compares the four routes founders actually use, with published prices from our [prop firm technology dataset](https://pipvalley.com/tech), checked 12 October 2026. Our [white label prop firm guide](https://pipvalley.com/guides/white-label-prop-firm) goes deeper on white-label pricing models; [what platform a prop firm should use](https://pipvalley.com/guides/what-platform-should-a-prop-firm-use) covers the trading front end.

> Disclosure: PropSuite is PipValley's technology partner and we may benefit if you launch on it. It is one option among the routes below, not the only one. PipValley builds the marketing website on any of them.

## How do the four routes compare?

**Four ways to launch a prop firm (published prices checked 12 Oct 2026; "quote" means no public price)**

| Route | Who pays traders | Published cost | Your share | Control and exit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital-backed white label | The provider, under its terms | PropSuite $2,749 setup, $0/month; PropAccount from $3,000 setup | 50–70% of net (PropSuite); 30% of gross or 50% of net (PropAccount) | Low: provider runs risk and payouts; check data export |
| Licensed white label or turnkey | You | Match-Trader $2,500–$5,000/month; TradeLocker $3,000/month; FXPropTech $1,000–$5,000/month plus setup; Leverate from €1,490/month | All of it after fees | High within the vendor; licence can be withdrawn |
| Your own stack | You | Quadcode compares "from $150k" to build; Spotware puts a self-run firm at $50,000–$200,000 | All of it after costs | Full, plus full responsibility |
| Partner with an existing firm | The partner firm | Affiliate: nothing up front; managed launches: quote | Commission or an agreed revenue share | Lowest: you own an audience, not a firm |

## Route 1: when does a capital-backed white label make sense?

A capital-backed white label makes sense when you have an audience but not the cash for a payout reserve. The provider supplies the platform, dashboard, checkout, KYC, risk engine and trader capital under your brand, and takes most of the margin. PropSuite says a typical launch is three days; PropAccount says "as little as 7 days".

What you get is speed and a capped downside. PropSuite's founder share is floored at zero, and carried negative balances come out of future shares rather than being invoiced. What you give up is the risk desk: PropSuite says it makes breach, risk, blacklist and payout decisions. Your brand carries the reputation for decisions you did not make, so read the rules you are selling as carefully as a trader would.

The fees to model: PropSuite publishes "$5 per account + 5% of revenue" and a share that rises from 50% of net to 60% at $100k+ monthly revenue and 70% at $300k+; its billing docs describe a 20% rolling reserve on the founder share for 180 days. PropAccount's White Label I pays the founder 30% of gross sales; White Label II pays 50% of net revenue. YourPropFirm describes its Prop Suite tier at $2,749 one-time, then 50% revenue share. Start here if your budget is small; see [starting with no money](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/with-no-money).

## Route 2: what does a turnkey or licensed white label include?

A turnkey prop firm solution licenses you the platform, CRM, challenge engine and risk tools for a fee, and you run the business and pay traders. "Turnkey" means different things per vendor, so compare what is actually inside the box.

- What turnkey rarely includes: the company, licensing advice, payment processor approval, the marketing website, marketing itself and the payout reserve. YourPropFirm notes that payment, KYC, broker and regulatory onboarding can move the real launch date.
- Pricing shape: fixed monthly fees reward volume. At $4,000 a month, every month costs the same whether you sell ten challenges or a thousand.
- Dependency: your licence can be withdrawn. Match-Trader terminated SurgeTrader's licence in May 2024 citing compliance concerns, and the firm closed about a week later, as Finance Magnates reported.

> Turnkey stacks need their own website, legal pages and checkout hand-off. Platforms run the dashboard; they do not sell your challenges. See trading platform and CRM and back office for each component.

**What turnkey vendors say is included (vendor statements and published prices, checked 12 Oct 2026)**

| Vendor | Included, per the vendor | Published price | Launch claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match-Trader | Trading platform, Prop CRM with challenges and payout policy, KYC module, Match2Pay crypto processing, VWAP demo execution | Turnkey platform and CRM $4,000/month; white label $2,500/month; server $5,000/month | "Start your brokerage or prop firm in just 1 week!" |
| FXPropTech | 1-step, 2-step, instant and pay-later programmes, risk engine, CRM, trader dashboard, guided registration and legal setup | $1,000/month + $1,500 setup up to $5,000/month + $6,000 setup; white label listed on ScaleUp | "Live in 14 days" |
| Leverate | SiRiX platform, broker portal, challenge tools, liquidity and data feed; CRM and client portal as an add-on | €1,490/month (500 accounts) + €2,000/month CRM; no setup fee | "As little as 10–14 days" |
| Quadcode | Own platform, challenges, billing with 100+ PSPs, contests, affiliates, dealing desk | From $17.5k setup | "From 2 weeks" |
| B2PROP (B2BROKER) | cTrader white label, B2PROP challenge back office, B2CORE CRM, liquidity, B2BinPay crypto | "Zero Platform Fee on A-book"; no list price | Quote |
| TradeLocker | Platform, back office, simulated live environment or your own bridge (platform only, CRM separate) | $3,000/month up to 500 active accounts | Quote |

## Route 3: what does building your own stack involve?

Building from scratch means licensing or developing every component, integrating them and staffing the operation. Quadcode's own comparison puts a from-scratch build at "from $150k" and "from 6 months" against its white label at "from $17.5k" and "from 2 weeks". Spotware's breakdown for a self-run firm is $8,000–$25,000 upfront platform licensing plus $3,000–$8,000 a month for the tech stack.

- The team: someone owns risk (rules, breach review, payout approval), payments operations (processors, chargebacks, reconciliation), support, compliance and a developer for the integrations. On a white label, the vendor carries most of this.
- Why founders still do it: full margin, full control of rules and data, and no vendor that can switch you off. Why most should wait: platform events hit own stacks too. MetaQuotes withdrew prop access in 2024, and cTrader stopped onboarding US-based traders for prop firms in 2026.
- A middle path: license a turnkey stack now, keep your trader data exportable, and migrate components once volume justifies it.

**Own-stack components and published reference prices (checked 12 Oct 2026)**

| Component | Published reference | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Trading platform | Match-Trader server licence $5,000/month; MT5 white label industry range $5,000–$15,000 setup and $1,000–$5,000/month (B2BROKER, not MetaQuotes) | MetaQuotes restricts prop use; futures firms license data and routing separately |
| CRM and challenge engine | FX Back Office Standard €2,500/month plus a setup fee; most prop CRMs are quote only | See [prop firm CRM cost](/guides/prop-firm-crm-cost) |
| Risk engine | Usually inside the platform or CRM | Server-side rules matter: a disconnected trader should still be stopped |
| KYC | Veriff from $0.80/check ($49 minimum); Sumsub $1.35 ($149 minimum); Persona from $250/month on a 12-month term | See [KYC](/start-a-prop-firm/kyc) |
| Card payments | Revolut from 1% + €0.20 (EEA); Stripe lists "funded prop trading" as prohibited | See [payments](/start-a-prop-firm/payments) |
| Crypto payments | NOWPayments from 1%; Match2Pay 0.30–1.00% deposits, 0% on payouts | Network fees extra |
| Payout rails | Rise $49 per contractor/month; Wise 50 GBP one-off, from 0.24% to send | See [payouts](/start-a-prop-firm/payouts) |

## Route 4: how do you partner with an existing prop firm?

Partnering means using another firm's licence, platform and capital and bringing the audience. There are four common shapes, from least to most commitment.

- Affiliate: you refer traders to an existing firm for a commission per sale. No cash, no risk, no brand of your own. Illustration only: on a $200 evaluation sold with a 20% discount code and 15% commission on the price paid, the trader pays $160 and you earn $24. Our prop firm affiliate programme guide covers terms from the firm's side.
- Managed or co-branded launch: a technology company runs the operation and you run the brand. Match-Trade's Match-Prop, announced on 15 September 2026, lets influencers, educators and IBs launch "within seven days" with the platform, CRM, market data, liquidity, risk controls, trader support, payments and compliance administration supplied, and later move to full white label or server.
- Capital-backed white label: technically a partnership too, with the provider paying traders (Route 1). PropAccount pitched creators in 2025 to "launch their own fully branded prop trading firm in 7 days", in a promoted press release.
- Equity or acquisition: joining or buying an operating firm. YourPropFirm launched a Prop Firm Marketplace with MS Capital Group in 2025 for buying and selling firms; see [can you buy a prop firm](https://pipvalley.com/guides/can-you-buy-a-prop-firm).

## What should a partnership or white-label contract say?

Whichever route you pick, the contract matters more than the brochure. Partners and providers fail too: after the CFTC's action against My Forex Funds in 2023, payroll provider Deel suspended payouts to several prop firms, as Finance Magnates reported. Have a lawyer check these points.

- Merchant of record: who takes the trader's payment, whose name is on the card statement, and who handles chargebacks.
- Payout funding: which entity pays traders, from which funds, on what schedule, and what happens in a heavy month.
- Holdbacks and reserves: percentage, duration and release terms on your share.
- Rules: who sets them, who can change them, and how much notice you get before traders are affected.
- Data and exit: export of trader records and purchase history, treatment of open accounts, notice periods and non-competes.
- Marketing compliance: who approves claims, how affiliates disclose (the FTC endorsement guidance and FCA FG24/1 for UK audiences), and which countries are restricted.
- Licensing: which entity holds any licence and what the provider says about the activities that would need one in your place.

## Which route should you choose?

Model the numbers before you decide. The [business plan template and financial model](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/business-plan) lets you switch between a revenue share and fixed fees, and [the budget tiers](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/budget) show what each route costs at $10k, $50k and $100k+. Whatever you pick, the site traders compare you on is yours to build; see your website.

**Route by founder situation (PipValley editorial view, from the published prices above)**

| If you have... | Start with | Revisit when |
|---|---|---|
| An audience, little cash | Capital-backed white label or a partner launch | Monthly revenue reaches the provider's next share tier |
| Cash and sales data, no tech team | Licensed turnkey stack plus a reserve | Fixed fees fall below the share you would give a provider |
| Cash, a team and an existing brokerage or tech business | Own stack, or turnkey with planned migration | Vendor limits block a product you need |
| No audience yet | An affiliate partnership | You can name where your first 100 buyers come from |

## Launch steps

1. **Decide who pays traders:** Provider-funded (capital-backed), self-funded (licensed or own stack), or partner-funded (affiliate or managed launch). This narrows the field before any demo.
2. **Shortlist two vendors per route:** Use published prices where they exist and ask the quote-only vendors for written pricing on the same scope.
3. **Compare total cost at your volume:** Model fixed fees against a revenue share at your expected monthly sales, including per-account fees, KYC and processing.
4. **Check the exit before the entry:** Get data-export, notice and migration terms in writing, and ask how the vendor handled past platform events.
5. **Have a lawyer read the contract:** Payout funding, merchant of record, holdbacks, rule changes and licensing responsibility, in your jurisdiction.
6. **Build the site around the real rules:** Publish the rules the engine actually enforces, the payout terms and restricted countries, so traders see the same thing the platform applies.

## Providers worth a look

- **PropSuite** (PipValley’s technology partner): Route 1: capital-backed, $2,749 setup and $0 monthly, founder share 50–70% of net; our technology partner.
- **PropAccount**: Route 1: capital-backed from $3,000 setup; founder earns 30% of gross or 50% of net.
- **Match-Trader**: Route 2 and 4: turnkey platform plus CRM at $4,000 a month, and the Match-Prop managed launch.
- **FXPropTech**: Route 2: published SaaS tiers with setup fees and per-account overage.
- **Leverate**: Route 2: SiRiX white label from €1,490 a month, no setup fee, CRM add-on.
- **Quadcode**: Route 2: white label from $17.5k, and the vendor's own "from $150k" build-from-scratch comparison.
- **B2PROP**: Route 2: cTrader white label prop solution with "Zero Platform Fee on A-book".
- **TradeLocker**: Route 2 or 3: platform-only licence at $3,000 a month for 500 active accounts.
- **Sumsub**: Route 3: KYC you contract directly, $1.35 per verification with a $149 monthly minimum.

## Your website

PipValley builds the marketing website for any platform or route: pricing table, rules, payouts, FAQ, legal pages and the checkout hand-off. Plan your launch: https://pipvalley.com/contact?src=launch-model

## Questions

### Is a white label prop firm cheaper than building in-house?

Up front, yes, by a wide margin: Quadcode compares its white label "from $17.5k" with "from $150k" to build from scratch, and capital-backed setups start at $2,749. Over time a revenue share can cost more than fixed fees at high volume, so model both at your expected sales.

### What is the difference between a turnkey and a white label prop firm?

Vendors use the words loosely. A white label usually means a branded copy of the vendor's platform; turnkey usually adds the CRM, challenge engine and payment integrations so you can sell on day one. Neither term tells you who pays traders, so ask that first.

### Who carries payout risk on each route?

On a capital-backed white label, the provider pays traders under its terms. On a licensed turnkey stack or your own stack, you do, from your own reserve. On an affiliate or managed partner launch, the partner firm does, and your income is a commission or an agreed share.

### Can I move traders from a white label to my own platform later?

Only if the contract lets you export trader records and purchase history and says how open accounts are handled. Ask before you sign, and plan the move between payout cycles. Rebuilding the rules, FAQ and checkout on the new platform is part of the migration cost.

### Do prop firms partner with brokers or platform providers?

Yes, often. Topstep launched an introducing broker through Plus500, and FTMO acquired OANDA, closing the deal after ten months. Platform vendors such as Match-Trade also run managed launches for partners. Each arrangement shifts who holds the licence, the client money and the trader relationship.

### Which route is fastest to launch?

Vendor claims are shortest on capital-backed and managed routes: PropSuite says a typical launch is three days, PropAccount and Match-Prop say about seven. Turnkey licences claim one to two weeks. Payment, KYC and legal onboarding often take longer than the technology.

## Sources

1. [PropSuite: homepage, setup fee and revenue share](https://propsuite.com/) (checked 2026-10-12)
2. [PropSuite docs: My Billing (fees, rolling reserve, negative balances)](https://docs.propsuite.com/docs/propsuite/money/my-billing) (checked 2026-10-12)
3. [PropSuite docs: What you can do, and what we do](https://docs.propsuite.com/docs/propsuite/getting-around/what-you-can-do) (checked 2026-10-12)
4. [YourPropFirm: White-label (Prop Suite) tier](https://yourpropfirm.com/solutions-whitelabel) (checked 2026-10-12)
5. [YourPropFirm: becomes part of Quant Technology Group](https://yourpropfirm.com/blog/yourpropfirm-becomes-part-of-quant-technology-group) (checked 2026-10-12)
6. [PropAccount: Pricing](https://propaccount.com/pricing/) (checked 2026-10-12)
7. [PropAccount: White Label I](https://propaccount.com/solutions/whitelabel-i/) (checked 2026-10-12)
8. [PropAccount: White Label II](https://propaccount.com/solutions/whitelabel-ii/) (checked 2026-10-12)
9. [FXStreet (promoted press release): PropAccount pitches creator-led prop firms (22 May 2025)](https://www.fxstreet.com/press-releases/monetize-your-trading-influence-with-our-capital-and-infrastructure-202505220911) (checked 2026-10-12)
10. [Match-Trader: Prop trading platform pricing](https://match-trader.com/prop-trading-platform/) (checked 2026-10-12)
11. [Finance Magnates: Match-Trade lets influencers and IBs launch prop firms in seven days (15 Sep 2026)](https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/match-trade-lets-influencers-and-ibs-launch-prop-firms-in-seven-days/) (checked 2026-10-12)
12. [FXPropTech: Pricing](https://fxproptech.com/pricing.html) (checked 2026-10-12)
13. [Leverate: Prop trading firm plans](https://leverate.com/prop-firm/) (checked 2026-10-12)
14. [Quadcode: White label prop firm](https://quadcode.com/prop-firm) (checked 2026-10-12)
15. [B2BROKER: Fees and pricing](https://b2broker.com/fees-and-pricing/) (checked 2026-10-12)
16. [B2BROKER: MT5 white label cost (24 Apr 2026)](https://b2broker.com/news/mt5-white-label-cost/) (checked 2026-10-12)
17. [TradeLocker: Pricing for prop firms](https://tradelocker.com/prop-firm-pricing/) (checked 2026-10-12)
18. [FX Back Office: Pricing](https://fxbackoffice.com/pricing) (checked 2026-10-12)
19. [Sumsub: Pricing](https://sumsub.com/pricing/) (checked 2026-10-12)
20. [Veriff: Self-serve plans](https://www.veriff.com/plans/self-serve) (checked 2026-10-12)
21. [Persona: Pricing](https://withpersona.com/pricing) (checked 2026-10-12)
22. [Revolut Business: Accept payments (EEA rates)](https://www.revolut.com/en-DE/business/accept-payments) (checked 2026-10-12)
23. [NOWPayments: Pricing](https://nowpayments.io/pricing) (checked 2026-10-12)
24. [Match2Pay: Pricing](https://match2pay.com/pricing/) (checked 2026-10-12)
25. [Rise: Pricing](https://www.riseworks.io/pricing) (checked 2026-10-12)
26. [Wise Business: Pricing](https://wise.com/gb/pricing/business) (checked 2026-10-12)
27. [Stripe: Restricted and prohibited businesses](https://stripe.com/legal/restricted-businesses) (checked 2026-10-12)
28. [Spotware: How to start a proprietary trading firm (2026)](https://www.spotware.com/news/how-to-start-a-proprietary-trading-firm-2026/) (checked 2026-10-12)
29. [Finance Magnates: SurgeTrader shuts down a week after losing its Match-Trader licence](https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/prop-firm-surgetrader-shuts-down-a-week-after-losing-match-trader-license) (checked 2026-10-12)
30. [Finance Magnates: ProjectX to end its third-party service offering (17 Nov 2025)](https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/prop-firms-report-futures-prop-tech-provider-projectx-to-end-its-third-party-service-offering/) (checked 2026-10-12)
31. [Finance Magnates: cTrader restricts US prop firm access](https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/ctrader-restricts-us-prop-firm-access-following-internal-regulatory-assessment/) (checked 2026-10-12)
32. [Finance Magnates: Prop firms cutting US clients and integrating new platforms (Feb 2024)](https://financemagnates.com/forex/prop-trading-firms-renaissance-cutting-us-clients-integrating-new-trading-platforms) (checked 2026-10-12)
33. [Finance Magnates: HR startup stops payouts to prop trading firms (13 Sep 2023)](https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/my-forex-funds-fallout-hr-startup-stops-payouts-to-prop-trading-firms/) (checked 2026-10-12)
34. [TradeInformer: Topstep launches introducing broker through Plus500 partnership](https://tradeinformer.com/broker-news/topstep-launches-introducing-broker-through-plus500-partnership) (checked 2026-10-12)
35. [Finance Magnates: FTMO closes OANDA acquisition deal after ten months](https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/prop-firm-ftmo-closes-oanda-acquisition-deal-after-ten-months/) (checked 2026-10-12)
36. [FTC: Endorsement Guides, what people are asking](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) (checked 2026-10-12)
37. [FCA FG24/1: Financial promotions on social media](https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/fg24-1-finalised-guidance-financial-promotions-social-media) (checked 2026-10-12)
38. [PipValley Index: crawl of 529 analysable prop firm websites (12 Oct 2026)](https://pipvalley.com/tech) (checked 2026-10-12)

_Not legal, tax or financial advice: rules differ by place and change often; speak to a qualified lawyer and tax adviser. Evaluation accounts are simulated; nothing here promises revenue, pass rates or payouts._